The Philadelphia Eagles announced a series of roster adjustments on Tuesday evening, heavily reshaping their backfield and depth pieces as the team deals with mounting injuries at the running back position. The moves involve four separate transactions concerning running backs, alongside adjustments to other depth players.
Running back mobility has become a central concern for the coaching staff as injuries continue to mount. The team recently called up preseason fan favorite Steele from the practice squad after missing their top three running backs due to injury. Steele entered Week 6 serving as the primary backup behind Dameon Pierce. However, Steele suffered a shoulder injury on his very first touch of the season—a four-yard reception. Although he initially attempted to return to the field after getting banged up, he was ultimately forced out of the game entirely. If Steele clears waivers, he is slated to revert to the Eagles’ injured reserve list.
In response to the backfield depletion, the Eagles brought in additional experience by signing veteran running back Mitchell to the practice squad. Mitchell brings a substantial track record to Philadelphia, boasting 327 career rushing attempts for 1,523 yards, good for a 4.7-yard average, along with nine career touchdowns. He previously spent time with the Eagles during training camp before suffering an injury that led the team to place him on injured reserve and later waive him with an injury settlement. With his return, Mitchell provides immediate depth as the team awaits word on whether star running back Saquon Barkley will be ready to return from a hamstring injury ahead of a Monday night matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. If Barkley remains sidelined, Mitchell could be temporarily elevated from the practice squad to serve as the team’s number two or number three running back, with Dameon Pierce currently standing as the only other fully healthy running back on the active roster while Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley recover on injured reserve.
Conversely, the team parted ways with running back Blue, who was originally selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Eagles initially signed Blue to their practice squad at the end of August before promoting him to the active roster last Friday to function as the third running back behind Pierce and Steele. Despite Steele going down early in the contest, the coaching staff opted against deploying Blue for any offensive or special teams snaps. The team waived him, leaving open the possibility of a practice squad return should he clear waivers.
The Eagles also adjusted their practice squad by swapping out running back Wheeler, whom they had added just last week to bolster practice depth, in favor of Mitchell’s more extensive NFL experience.
Beyond the backfield shuffle, the team addressed interior line depth by releasing Brockermeyer from the practice squad. Brockermeyer had been signed earlier in the month following a trade that sent Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens, serving as emergency center depth. However, with Drew Kendall trending toward better health, the team determined that Brockermeyer’s services were no longer immediately required on the practice squad.
